How long to full size Phal

[Melbillion]

Hi everyone, I’m new to the board and have been enjoying learning from all the great posts on here. I have several Phalaenopsis hybrids I know from the descriptions when I bought them that they will get big, one said my Phal will reach a 20”+ leaf span. For now it’s little but still blooming size because she is in bloom now.
My question is how long approximately will it take for a hybrid Phal like that to reach its full 20” size if there are no set backs of course. I know any answers will just be a educated guess but I thought some of the more experienced growers on this board might be able to give me a idea how long I have before it’s big and beautiful but also takes up lots of space.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Growth rate depends on growing conditions, so it's impossible to give a firm answer. Phals would prefer to be very warm, humid, properly lighted, well watered and fertilized throughout the year. People growing in houses need to make adjustments for the lack of perfect growing conditions, so Phals tend to grow slower in a home than in a greenhouse.

[tmoney]

hey! well, no absolutes, as you say. and im no expert either....so....assume it grows 2 new leaves each year and those leaves are as big or bigger than the last...maybe a couple years? how big is it now, and does the hybrid have a name or is it a noid grocery store hybrid? that may help form your vision

edit: forgot to add the obligatory, “welcome to the orchid board!”

[dbarron]

And don't forget that not every phal will reach any maximum size. Their ancestry is varied and some species are considerably smaller.

[Ray]

As dbarron mentioned, the genetics play a role, as well.

You mentioned that some will get 20” leaves. To me, that suggests Phal. gigantea is in the background, and they are slow growers.

[Melbillion]

Well it’s a fragrant novelty Phalaenopsis from orchid web.com called Danie Olson. It’s not a mericlone so it won’t be the same as the other Danie Olson seedlings. I know this means it might not even get as big as the others or even what the listing says. It’s a hybrid cross of stuartiana 'Red Hat' x Joshua Irwin Ginsberg 'Ruth'. It has some polychilos in its genetics. I am growing it in my house with the help of grow lights. I really need to take pictures of it because it’s a very pretty Phal with mottled leaves with even a bit of silver to them. The flowers are lightly fragrant in the morning. I do understand that the growth rate will be greatly different depending on the growing conditions and even if I had two from the same cross growing side by side the rate of growth might be different. I guess I just hoped there might be a way to guess. I’m just excited to see how it will look as a mature plant and since it’s a seedling hybrid cross instead of a mericlone of a well known orchid I won’t know exactly what it looks like as a more mature older plant until it becomes older. It’s not the same as having a schilleriana or sweet memory liodoro, both of which have dozens of photos and even videos of mature older specimens I can look at and watch to see what my babies will look like some day. I will just have to be patient and enjoy watching it get bigger lol

[tmoney]

ahh, ok! looked it up and seems to be a nice flower. but yes, like has been said the genetics will account for variation in seed grown plants. since it has venosa in its parentage it is possible to have somewhat smaller leaves.

perhaps it’s already at its maximum leaf size.

im with you on new seedlings and the surprise that awaits with blooming! i hope it surpasses your expectations. be sure to post a pic when it opens up

edit: i forgot you said it was already in bloom! so yeah, i would imagine the plant morphology is fairly developed at this point and with the ancestry you might be able to push the leaf mottling and slivering by playing with light levels. also, i did find several pics of this hybrid online, but yes, probly it will only get slightly bigger would be my guess. one of the pics from orchidroots was a mounted plant with leaf mottling that looks to be mature and leaves aren’t very big.

[Melbillion]

Originally Posted by tmoney

ahh, ok! looked it up and seems to be a nice flower. but yes, like has been said the genetics will account for variation in seed grown plants. since it has venosa in its parentage it is possible to have somewhat smaller leaves.

I didn’t even think about the fact that because of it’s more distant relations that it might not even get that much bigger. You make a very good point, i feel it’s kinda weird but it makes me more excited because it will be interesting to see what happens as it gets older. Thank you to everyone who has helped.

[Melbillion]

She is in a 4” pot

[Ray]

With the plant having venosa in its background, I suspect that growing it as hot as possible (no direct sunlight) will help.